Modular irrigation controller

ABSTRACT

A controller has two irrigation station module connection areas within it and can either accept two irrigation station modules at the same time or one larger module that spans both connection areas. The larger module, however, includes more irrigation station terminals than both of the smaller irrigation station modules combined. Therefore, a greater number of irrigation stations can be connected to the controller when the larger module is substituted for the two smaller modules.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser No. 13/942,550 filed Jul. 15, 2013 (issuing as U.S. Pat.No. 9,538,713 on Jan. 10, 2017), which claims benefit of and priority toU.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/671,522 filed Jul. 13, 2012entitled Modular Irrigation Controller, both of which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Irrigation systems are commonly used to compensate for inadequaterainfall by artificially watering turf or other landscape. In their mostbasic form, irrigation systems comprise water supply lines that directwater to a group of sprinklers. Each sprinkler is placed at varyingpositions around the landscape, preferably maximizing the area on whichwater is disbursed.

Control of each sprinkler is typically left to valves coupled to thewater supply lines, preventing or allowing water to flow to each of thesprinkler heads. In some residential and commercial irrigation systems,electrically controlled solenoid valves are operatively connected to anirrigation controller or central computer. These irrigation controllersinclude a microprocessor with an input interface (such as a dial andbuttons) where a user can program a desired watering schedule. When thewatering schedule calls for irrigation of at least a portion of thelandscape, the irrigation controller causes one or more solenoid valvesto open so that water flows to their respective sprinklers. When theschedule calls for an end to the irrigation, the irrigation controllercauses the solenoid valves to close, stopping the water flow to thesprinklers.

Early irrigation controllers included a fixed number of terminals inwhich to connect the irrigation system's solenoid valves, as seen inU.S. Pat. No. 5,060,859, the contents of which are hereby incorporatedby reference. While functional, these early irrigation controllerslacked the flexibility to connect and control additional valves.Unfortunately, if a user wished to expand their irrigation system, itrequired either a new irrigation controller with a greater number ofvalve terminals or the use of multiple irrigation controllers or asecond smaller station count controller.

In an effort to increase the flexibility of irrigation controllers, themodular irrigation controller was invented to easily increase the numberof sprinklers that can be added to an irrigation system, as seen in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,956,248; 6,459,959; 6,772,050, the contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference. In a modular irrigation controller,multiple valve leads or irrigation station leads are connected to smallmodules that removably connect to the controller. Additional stationoutput modules can later be added or removed from the controller asneeded.

Prior art modular controllers, however, have numerous drawbacks. Forexample, older prior art modular controllers typically include moduleswith a set number of irrigation station terminals. Newer prior artmodular controllers increase the number of terminals, but requireadditional footprint space (e.g., a 4 terminal module may be replacedwith a 9 terminal module but requires two module slots.

These prior art modular controllers typically require the modules to beinserted into the controller slots in a specific position order.Further, present day controllers typically do not retain programminginformation for a module slot after the module is removed.

Some controllers have addressed the issue of a fixed number of terminalswithin a single controller footprint through the use of modules thatinclude additional terminals and a sensor terminal bank, as seen inpatent application Ser. No. 13/073,749, and incorporated herein byreference. However, many conventional irrigation controllers do not havemodular slots or a dedicated sensor port. These controllers do not havethe capability to switch the fixed station terminals from a conventional24V AC driven station to an AC or DC driven decoder system. Certainsensors conform to a decoder protocol and are thus not compatible withthe conventional 24V AC driven stations. Thus, there exists a need for acontroller with the ability to switch the terminals from conventionaloutputs to decoder outputs to incorporate sensor data for irrigationschedule modification. Additionally, modular controllers are expensive,so providing an economical method of converting fixed stations todecoder driven stations would provide users with a practical alternativewhile enhancing system flexibility.

Conventional irrigation controllers have not been designed for multipleusers with varying levels of controller programming expertise. Thus, toaccommodate the advanced users, conventional controllers typically havea complicated menu system to encompass all features of a system, even ifa majority of the features would not be utilized by a typical owneroperator. There exists a need for a controller that provides astraightforward user interface for the basic user (for example, atypical homeowner) while also providing the advanced user (such as acontractor) with all the features of the controller system.

Additionally, existing controller schedules may not intuitively providethe user with a proper understanding of the time and duration that theirirrigation system will be active. Simply listing the program's start andstop times can be improved by providing the schedule in a graphicalformat based on the day or week. Further, providing information such aspast usage provides users with valuable information for modifying anupcoming schedule.

Users may also encounter difficulties in correcting a system problembecause the instruction manual, like the typical controller menu system,may be complicated. In instances where an irrigation system requiresimmediate correction, owner-operators would benefit significantly fromthe ability to communicate directly with a contractor or customerservice representative (CSR). There may be several ways to communicatethe problem with the scheduling program. For example, an irrigationcontroller with an integrated voice line would allow a customerrepresentative to walk the user through the trouble shooting process.Alternatively, a controller with an integrated data upload feature wouldallow the user to relay program data directly to a CSR to review theprogram, modify it accordingly, and download any changes directly to thecontroller. A controller with the ability to communicate to a CSR wouldensure that any irrigation system problems were promptly resolved.

Many prior art controllers do not store data relating to schedulinginformation, sensor readings, or communication events with customerservice. Further, the controllers that do store information on aremovable device are typically stored within the module itself. Whilethe module may be used in another controller, review of the stored datais limited to being present at a controller. What is needed is acontroller that stores data on a common external memory device such as aUSB storage device, SD card, micro SD card, or network server to allowan owner-operator to review triggering events and make any necessarymodifications to the schedule or program. Data collected would alsoallow an owner-operator to save irrigation schedules for later use andtrouble shoot any controller issues, from a remote location.

What is needed is a modular controller that overcomes the limitations ofthe prior art. More particularly, a modular controller is needed thatcan utilize modules with various numbers of irrigation terminals, yetmaintain a single slot footprint. A modular controller is also neededthat can expand the number of terminals and add sensor or smart adaptercapability, save module programming, and decrease the cost associatedwith producing both an outdoor and indoor model. Further, a modularcontroller is needed that allows fixed station terminals to be convertedto a decoder driven system, allows for real time direct customer servicecommunication via voice or data protocol, and allows sensor and systeminformation to be stored on a readily available removable storagedevice. In addition, a modular controller is needed that provides a userinterface designed for multiple users that is capable of displaying adaily or weekly watering schedule in a graphical format to modify andreview past and future irrigation schedules.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention includes a controller that has twoirrigation station module connection areas within it. The controller caneither accept two irrigation station modules at the same time or onelarger module that spans both connection areas. The larger module,however, includes more irrigation station terminals than both of thesmaller irrigation station modules combined. Therefore, a greater numberof irrigation stations can be connected to the controller when thelarger module is substituted for the two smaller modules.

Another aspect of the present invention includes a smart card thatconnects to an adapter port on the controller to provide additionalfunctionality. For example the smart card may provide any combinationsof a wireless transceiver for communicating with a weather station, soilmoisture sensor, ET data, flow sensor, remote control, or PC.

Another aspect of the present invention includes a terminal within thecontroller that can be switched between a standard irrigation stationterminal and a two-wire encoder/decoder station.

Another aspect of the present invention includes a user interface thatcan be switched between a simplified version for a home user and a moredetailed version for a professional contractor. In this respect, moredetailed configuration options are available to the contractor oradvanced user while being hidden to a less experienced home user.

Another aspect of the present invention includes a user interface thatcan display a graphical schedule that illustrates irrigation via avertical time scale. Solid blocks indicate standard activation of avalve while cross-hatched blocks indicate possible irrigation based onsensor input. In this respect, the user can quickly view theirirrigation schedule in one representational graphic to ensure their turfis receiving proper irrigation volume.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, features and advantages of which embodiments ofthe invention are capable of will be apparent and elucidated from thefollowing description of embodiments of the present invention, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a modular controller according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top perspective view of the modular controller ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom perspective view the modular controller ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side perspective view of the modular controller ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of the modular controller of FIG. 1 withthe front housing open.

FIG. 6 illustrates a top perspective view of the modular controller ofFIG. 5.

FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the modular controllerof FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 illustrates a side perspective view of the modular controller ofFIG. 5.

FIG. 9 illustrates an interior perspective of the modular controllerwith the front cover open and console open, showing two 4-port modulesattached to the rear housing.

FIG. 10 illustrates an interior perspective of the modular controllerwith the front cover open and console open, showing one 12-port moduleattached to the rear housing.

FIG. 11 illustrates top perspective view of the modular controller withthe front cover open and console open.

FIG. 12 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the modular controllerwith the front cover open and console open.

FIG. 13 illustrates an interior perspective of the modular controllerwith the front cover open and console open.

FIG. 14 illustrates a close up perspective view of the controllercomponents within the rear housing.

FIG. 15 illustrates the controller console interface.

FIG. 16 illustrates the Contractor's initial “Advanced” menu screen.

FIG. 17A illustrates the “Schedule Screen” for the “Homeowner” user andthe “Contactor” user.

FIG. 17B illustrates the “Runtime Screen” for the “Homeowner” user andthe “Contactor” user.

FIG. 17C illustrates the “Area Screen” for the “Homeowner” user and the“Contactor” user.

FIG. 18A illustrates the controller's watering schedule based on a weekview. FIG. 18B illustrates the controller's watering schedule based on aday view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limitedto the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments areprovided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and willfully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Theterminology used in the detailed description of the embodimentsillustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limitingof the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate various outer views of a modular controller 100according to the preset invention. The modular controller 100 includes afront cover 101 and rear housing 102 that protect the components of thecontroller 100. The front cover 101 is attached to the rear housing by ahinge 103 which allows the front cover 101 to swing open and closed overthe controller console 105 (seen best in FIG. 5). Wire apertures 104allow irrigation station wires to enter the controller 100 and therebyconnect to controller terminals.

FIGS. 5-8 illustrate the controller 100 with the front cover 101 open toreveal the controller console 105. The console 105 is attached to therear housing by an inner controller hinge 106 which allows the consoleto swing open and closed over the rear housing 102.

FIGS. 9-12 illustrate the controller 100 with both the front cover 101and console 105 open to reveal the controller components containedwithin the rear housing 102, including both fixed terminals 107 and amodule connection area 180. Preferably, the fixed terminals 107 includepower terminals for connecting a power supply to power the controller100, sensor terminals for connecting a sensor, communication ports forconnecting a remote control, and irrigation station terminals 107A(e.g., four of the bottom right terminals 107) for connecting toirrigation valves.

As best seen in FIG. 9, the module connection area 180 can accommodateup to two smaller modules 122 (e.g., each having four irrigation stationterminals), which allows for incrementally adding irrigation stationterminals to the controller 100 (in addition to the irrigation stationterminals of the fixed terminals 107). The module connection area 180can also accommodate a larger, single module 123 that spans the entirewidth of the area 180, as seen in FIG. 10, and includes more irrigationstation terminals than both modules 108 a (e.g., twelve irrigationstation terminals). Preferably the modules 122, 123 are engaged with oneor more spring clips 122A, 123A at their upper end. Preferably,electrical connection terminals are located on area 180 and theunderside of each of the modules 122, 123, so as to allow electricalcommunication with the modules 122, 123 with the controller 100.

Preferably, the area 180 includes a plurality of indicia (e.g.,numbering 1-12) located at its lower end such that when one or moremodules 122 are connected, the indicia line up beneath each of theterminals. In contrast, module 123 is preferably longer so as to coverup these indicia, but provides a second set of indicia located on theface of the module 123, below its terminals. In this regard, thedifferent terminal spacing between the different sized modules 122 and123 can nonetheless both have indicia accurate to their respectiveterminals.

As best seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the console 105 includes a Smart Cardadapter port 172 within the body of the console 105 which allows a SmartCard 170 to connect (FIG. 10) and provide additional functionality tothe controller 100. For example, the Smart Card 170 may include awireless transceiver for communicating with a weather station, soilmoisture sensor, ET data, flow sensor, remote control, or PC. Thecontroller 100 can receive this data and act accordingly. For example,the controller 100 may receive ET data from a local weather station andthereby adjust the schedule appropriately. In another example, thecontroller 100 may receive soil moisture data and similarly adjust theschedule as needed. In another example, the controller may communicatewith software on a PC for scheduling the controller's irrigationschedule and setting up other aspects of the controller's functionality,such as sensor configuration.

Two-Wire Decoder Capability

Irrigation controllers with conventional irrigation stations open andclose irrigation valves by selectively applying electric current (e.g.,24V AC) over at least one dedicated wire connected to each valve. Inthis respect, when power is applied to a certain valve, it remains openand when power is stopped, the valve closes. In contrast, advanceddecoder-based systems supply constant power (e.g., constant AC or DCpower) and encoded data over a single wire pair. Each valve includes adata decoder that draws power and decodes data from the single wirepair. When a decoder receives a watering command, it causes its attachedvalve to open. Since irrigation systems and valves must be wireddifferently, irrigation controllers have typically been configured foruse only with traditional systems or with decoder systems.

The present controller 100 allows a user to change the output of atleast some of the irrigation station terminals between a conventional24V AC output and a constant decoder-style output. In this respect, thecontroller 100 can be used with either style irrigation system or even acombination of the two (i.e., two of the fixed terminals 107 outputdecoder format commands and the terminals of the modular controllers 108a output conventional 24V AC).

When set to its “decoder” output mode, the designated decoder terminalsof the fixed terminals 107 may also communicate with irrigation sensorsconfigured to communicate with this protocol. In this way, the user hasgreater flexibility to add sensor input into the controller system toadjust to various environmental changes.

Preferably, a user can change the designated fixed terminals 107 fromconventional to decoder via a mechanical switch, a jumper or a firmwaresetting accessible within a graphical user interface of the controller.

Dual User Console and Menu System

The interface console 105, best seen in FIG. 15, is designed toaccommodate both the basic “Homeowner” and advanced “Contractor” user byproviding different interfaces for each user to input irrigationscheduling data into the controller 100. Hence, a simpler graphicalinterface can be provided on screen 117 for the casual “Homeowner” users(e.g., access to system information and most commonly used features) anda more detailed graphical interface can also be provided for theadvanced “Contractor” user (e.g., to access complicated or detailedsettings for fine tuning an irrigation schedule).

A typical “Homeowner” primarily performs only a few controller functionson a regular basis. Accordingly, the “Homeowner” has immediate access toa series of “shortcut” buttons 112 (seen best in FIGS. 5 and 15) thatinclude “Water Now” 112A, “Schedules” 112B, “Adjust Water” 112C, and“Review” 112D, as well as a dedicated water shut-off button 111, a“Home” button 115A, “Help/Setup” 1156, and menu navigation buttons 115(e.g., arrows 115D and select button 115C). In contrast, the“Contractor” has a dedicated “advanced” button 116 to access theadvanced features of the controller as well as more convenient screensfor them to enter data. When pressed, the “Homeowner” is deterred by thetitle of the button (“Advanced”) and a secondary clarification screen asshown in FIG. 16.

Pressing the “Help/Setup” shortcut button 1156 or the “Advanced” button116 (and advancing through the confirmation screen of FIG. 16) allowsthe user to access various system options for program modification andreview. FIGS. 17A through 17C illustrate several of the differencesbetween the simplified “Homeowner” menu and the more complex“Contractor” menu. The “Homeowner” menu offers diminished operationalfunctionality but more detailed description of the available options. Incontrast, the “Contractor” menu offers more functionality to accommodatethe advanced features while limiting the description to allow the“Contractor” to navigate through the menu faster.

For example, the “Schedule Screen” for both the “Homeowner” and“Contractor” is shown in FIG. 17A. The “Homeowner” “Schedule Screen”offers the basic area selections 120 for setting up a schedule such aschoosing selecting the “Watering Days,” “Schedule Starts,” and “ZoneRuntimes.” The “Contractor” “Schedule Screen” offers additional featuressuch as a “Zone Details,” “Schedule Details,” “Sensors.” “Diagnostics,”“Firmware,” “Remote,” and “Factory Reset” in selections 121.

Similarly, in FIG. 17B the “Homeowner” “Runtime Screen” provides thewatering duration 130 for different zones 131 while the “Contractor”“Runtime Screen” provides the duration runtimes for multiple schedules132 (for example schedule A, B, and C) for each watering zone 131.Additionally, the users may create custom names for each zones 131 tomake the naming of “Areas” and “Schedules” more meaningful. These customlabels may be used with an external software program to replace thegeneric labels in the controller.

FIG. 17C illustrates that the “Homeowner” does not have an “Area Screen”whereas the “Contractor” has multiple options for adjusting the wateringschedule for a given zone based on soak time, sprinkler type,precipitation rate, soil and plant type, terrain slope, and sun lightlevel.

Graphical Schedule for Volumetric Programming

The controller 100 preferably displays the irrigation schedule in agraphical format to ensure that a given area is receiving the properirrigation volume, as seen best in FIGS. 18A and 18B. Turning first toFIG. 18A, the “Week View” format includes columns of the days of theweek 152 and a vertical time scale 153 showing 24 hour increments.

A solid black bar 154 indicates standard activation of irrigation valvesby the controller from any valve or program. The height of the barreflects the total runtime the controller is planned to run (or has runif this week has occurred in the past). The cross-hatched area 155indicates a time frame that irrigation valves may possibly irrigatebased on sensor inputs to the controller (i.e. for example, ET or soilmoisture values). This is the allowable watering time frame that theuser could expect watering to occur. Indicator arrows also allow theuser to change the view to the schedule of the previous week 151 or thefollowing week 157.

The user may navigate to a particular day 156. Once activated the “WeekView” screen would change to the “Day View” screen as shown in FIG. 18B.The top of the “Day View” schedule indicates the day that the data shownrelates to. Each row in the “Day View” screen represents the differentscheduled programs 160 in the irrigation schedule. These may alsoinclude lighting and accessory schedules. Similar to the “Week View”schedule, the “Day View” schedule is based on a 24-hour time scale 162,the solid black bar 163 indicates standard activation of irrigationvalves by the controller for a particular schedule, and thecross-hatched area 161 indicates a time frame that irrigation valves forthe particular schedule may possibly irrigate based on inputs to thecontroller. Indicator arrows allow the user to change the view to theschedule for the previous day 164 or for the following day 166. Thegraphical display provides the user with an intuitive understanding wheneach zone within the irrigation system will be active in a particularweek or day. Additionally, the data displayed can be what has actuallyrun, what was planned but modified, and what is expected to run in thefuture.

Customer Service Capability

In one embodiment, the controller 100 has both a microphone and speakerwithin the case, whose hardware is attached to the controller's circuitboard. This communication setup, identified as a “Voice of the Customer”feature, allows users the ability to contact a customer servicerepresentative (CSR) directly from the controller 105 to quickly addressan irrigation system issue. Users may initiate the “Voice of theCustomer” feature by pressing the help button 112 on the console 105(see FIG. 15). After confirmation, the controller 100 calls a programmedphone number or initiates a call over the internet to a predeterminedaddress.

Once connected with a CSR, the user can explain the issue affecting thesystem and can be walked through trouble shooting steps and programminginstructions. In addition, the data communication aspect allows the userto upload the controller schedule and settings data to a network storageserver so that a CSR may review and reprogram the controller 100remotely. Once the CSR has modified and corrected the controller issue,the modified irrigation schedule and settings may be downloaded from theserver back to the controller through the existing installedcommunication protocol (for example, WiFi). Utilizing either voice ordata communication aspects of the “Voice of the Customer” feature allowsthe user to confirm that an issue has been addressed correctly.

Removable Memory

In another aspect according to the present invention, the controller 100stores data on a removable memory device such as an SD card, Micro SDcard, or USB memory device. Utilizing these widespread portable storagedevices is advantageous because the data collected may be analyzed at aremote location instead of at the controller (e.g., by transferring dataover the internet to a CSR, as previously discussed, or by removing thememory and using a stand-alone device or computer software for furtheranalysis).

The use of a USB memory device is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, whichshows a USB port 109 and SD card slot 174 on the rear of the console105. Data collected may include irrigation scheduling information,logged irrigation events, logged alerts, logged sensor readings or theresultant adjustments based on sensor data, and logged communicationevents with a CSR. The data can be used for saving irrigation schedulesremotely in order to reload them at a later date to restore thecontroller to a particular operation schedule (e.g., due to user erroror replacement of the controller), or may be used by a secondaryapplication to troubleshoot controller issues and display sensor datasuch as flow reports or ET adjustment values over time. Further, thedata collected may be uploaded to a Toro network server via a datacommunication protocol discussed above. A CSR can then provide analysisand support to the user regarding irrigation controller 100 operation.

Although the invention has been described in terms of particularembodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in lightof this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modificationswithout departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of theclaimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawingsand descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitatecomprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit thescope thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. An irrigation controller comprising: a userinterface having a plurality of interface elements for programming anirrigation schedule; a controller housing connected to said userinterface surface; a module connection area located in said controllerhousing; said module connection area comprising a first module areahaving an electrical connection terminal and a physical connectionmechanism; a first plurality of number indicia displayed on said firstmodule area and each of which being located in said first module areasuch that, when a first module is connected to said first module area,each of a first plurality of irrigation terminals are positionedadjacent to one of said first plurality of number indicia, and; a secondplurality of number indicia displayed on a second module adjacent to asecond plurality of irrigation terminals; wherein, said second modulecovers said first plurality of number indicia when connected to saidfirst module area.
 2. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein saidsecond module has a different number of irrigation terminals than saidfirst module.
 3. The irrigation controller of claim 2, wherein saidsecond module has a larger number of irrigation terminals than saidfirst module.
 4. The irrigation controller of claim 1, wherein saidfirst plurality of number indicia are positioned adjacent to a bottom ofsaid first module when said first module is connected to said firstmodule area.
 5. The irrigation controller of claim 4, wherein saidsecond module has a greater length than said first module; and whereinsaid second module is positioned over said first plurality of numberindicia when connected at said first module area.
 6. The irrigationcontroller of claim 1, further comprising: a second module area having asecond electrical connection terminal and a second physical connectionmechanism; said first module area and said second module area eachconfigured to simultaneously accommodate said first module; said firstmodule having a first width said first module area and said secondmodule area configured to both simultaneously accommodate said secondmodule that has a second width extending entirely across said firstmodule area and said second module area; wherein two of said firstirrigation modules have a total number of irrigation terminals less thanone of said second module.
 7. The irrigation controller of claim 1,wherein said controller has a mechanical switch capable of changing anytwo fixed stations to a decoder driven system.
 8. The irrigationcontroller of claim 1, wherein said first module has at least fourirrigation terminals and wherein said second module has at least elevenirrigation terminals.
 9. An irrigation controller comprising: a userinterface having a plurality of interface elements for programming anirrigation schedule; a controller housing connected to said userinterface surface; a module connection area located in said controllerhousing; said module connection area comprising a first module areahaving an electrical connection terminal and a physical connectionmechanism; a first plurality of number indicia displayed on said firstmodule area and each of which being located in said first module areasuch that, when a first module is connected to said first module area,each of a first plurality of irrigation terminals are positionedadjacent to one of said first plurality of number indicia, and; a secondplurality of number indicia displayed on a second module adjacent to asecond plurality of irrigation terminals; wherein, said second moduleprevents said first plurality of number indicia from being visible whenconnected to said first module area.
 10. The irrigation controller ofclaim 9, wherein said second module has a different number of irrigationterminals than said first module.
 11. The irrigation controller of claim10, wherein said second module has a larger number of irrigationterminals than said first module.
 12. The irrigation controller of claim9, wherein said first plurality of number indicia are positionedadjacent to a bottom of said first module when said first module isconnected to said first module area.
 13. The irrigation controller ofclaim 12, wherein said second module has a greater length than saidfirst module; and wherein said second module is positioned over saidfirst plurality of number indicia when connected at said first modulearea.
 14. The irrigation controller of claim 9, further comprising: asecond module area having a second electrical connection terminal and asecond physical connection mechanism; said first module area and saidsecond module area each configured to simultaneously accommodate saidfirst module; said first module having a first width said first modulearea and said second module area configured to both simultaneouslyaccommodate said second module that has a second width extendingentirely across said first module area and said second module area;wherein two of said first irrigation modules have a total number ofirrigation terminals less than one of said second module.
 15. Theirrigation controller of claim 9, wherein said controller has amechanical switch capable of changing any two fixed stations to adecoder driven system.
 16. The irrigation controller of claim 9, whereinsaid first module has at least four irrigation terminals and whereinsaid second module has at least eleven irrigation terminals.